To achieve a good karma you must be a good person in life and do great deeds for others. In Buddhism ones karma is what decides their reincarnated fate. Yet in Christianity reincarnation is a little bit different. The first known reincarnation in biblical times was the reincarnation of the prophet Elijah (Reincarnation and Christianity). This occurs in the biblical verses eleven and fourteen. In these Jesus says: "And if you are willing to accept it, he (John the Baptist) is the Elijah who has to come ("Reincarnation in Christianity"). He tells the people that Elijah has already come and he lives in the John the Baptist. Also in the biblical chapter John verse 3:3 it states: " No man may see the kingdom of god unless he be reborn ("Reincarnation in Christianity"). The Christian meaning of reincarnation seems to almost be contradictory to it's self. The text says that you must be reborn in order to see God. Yet, in most Christian churches people are reborn everyday. Does this mean that they are truly spiritually reborn? The real meaning might be that reincarnation in the Christian faith is only a metaphor for the rebirth of the spirit and love of god within us.
Reincarnation in the movies is quite different than the reincarnation in religious texts. In the movies the soul is reincarnated and always seems to find its way back to it's previous family. In life it's not really like that. The movies make the ordeal of reincarnation seem animated and devoid of celestial reasoning. For example in the movie "Vertigo" the character Madeline was believed to be possessed by the of Carlotta Valdes. In religions this can not happen. Possession and reincarnation are two totally different things. In possession the possessing spirit has total control over a host. Also the spirit is usually a demon of sorts not a human soul. I think the movie poorly depicted what reincarnation truly is. The movie "The Mummy" Written and directed Steven Sommers accurately the theories of reincarnation and resurrection.